What is a quick and easy recipe for chocolate cake, from scratch?

Question

I"m not a cook.

Answer 1

This is one of the best out there: http://www.mayo.com/recipeDisplayMRS.asp?RecipeID=8241&Version=1

Enjoy!

Answer 2

Chocolate Dump Cake

Makes 1 layer of an 8" cake.

1 cup sugar
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups of flour
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup of cocoa powder
½ cup corn oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup cold water

2 tbs vinegar

Other equipment: 8" cake pan, fork or wire wisk

Optional: mixing bowl, paper to line baking pan, butter and flour

Preheat oven to 375° F. Be sure the oven is at 375° F before you start to mix the ingredients.

With a fork or wire wisk, mix everything together except the vinegar. Blend well.

Add the vinegar, stir quickly and put in the oven as fast as you can.

You can do the mixing either in a bowl or in the baking pan. If you mix in the baking pan, you'll have fewer dishes to wash, but you will have a hard time getting the cake out of the pan, even if you butter and flour it before you start. If you mix in a separate bowl, you can line the bottom of the baking pan with buttered and floured paper, so it will be easier to get the cake out of the pan; however, if you mix in a separate bowl, you have to transfer the batter to the pan and get it in the oven really, really quickly.

Bake at 375° F for 20 to 25 minutes until slightly puffed in the middle.
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My comments: I usually make it in a square pan rather than round. I mix it in the pan after spraying pan w/cooking spray and have never had difficulty getting cake out of pan. You can frost it but it's very good plain. I'm told this recipe was used during the Depression since it doesn't use eggs or butter? At any rate, it's also vegan since it has no eggs or milk...Ideal for people allergic to those items.

Since you said you are not a cook, make sure you use cocoa powder found in the baking section, not packets of hot chocolate mix from the drinks section of the grocery. Forgive me if you already knew that but I had a friend who didn't realize what cocoa was & had an unpleasant suprise when she tried to substitute Swiss Miss! LOL!

I'm including a link to this recipe and also a link to a cake making site which is very, very helpful for anyone wanting to learn to make cakes from scratch. Good luck!

Answer 3

TETA TONI's CHOCOLATE CAKE:
1/2 cup margarine (softened)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S cocoa
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling hot water
In a large bowl cream together margarine, eggs, sugar and cocoa until fluffy.
In seperate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture. Beat in milk and vanilla extract.
Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
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CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons cold water
Cream all ingredients together until spreading consistency.

Answer 4

go to http://www.allrecipes.com/ for quick and easy recipes